Friday, 23 November 2012

The World is Cruel Dress

Nay-sayers, wallow in the vindication of your doubts: I did not complete the Skater Dress pattern last weekend as I hoped. The tutorial is done and dusted but I'm still putting a tiny bit more work into the pattern. Can you guess what my stumbling block is? A clue: it is my perma-block. Fecking sleeves.

The sleeves: They menace me.

I thought I would test version 76.0b with a quick and dirty refashion of one of Steven's castaway sweaters. The bodice is the skater bodice, the sleeves the skater sleeves, the bottom a gathered-in-the-centre-only rectangle.

The retained ribbing hem makes the skirt into a tulip shape that is pleasing to me.

Matching a striped curved bodice to a striped curved skirt when combining different coloured stripes? Less pleasing to me.

Add a lazily-retained too-wide-adult-male-neckline and we have an explanation as to why Maia's drama teacher did not compliment her on her dress despite complimenting Maia's friend on her dress.

Clearly the only logical explanation, Maia, but it makes that bitter pill no easier to swallow.

That is a WONDERFUL dress! The colours and stripes suit her so well - I was brimming with enthusiasm to comment on its loveliness well before you revealed the compliment injustice. And I would never have noticed the neckline thing, with a t-shirt underneath it works fine. Bet it's really comfy too. Tell her I think it's fantastic!

And condolences on the sleeve pattern. I don't draft them but I hate sewing them. Hope you nail it soon.